WANDELLA will head into the 2025 season confident in a their line-up with some exciting new talent coming through the ranks and recruitment to bolster ruck stocks.
Club president Leigh Hollingworth said the side had a good mix of older experienced players mixed with some exciting new prospects coming into the side.
“Darcy Ramage is a young guy who has been playing with Echuca United but has relocated and will be part of the group this year,” he said.
“He’s been impressive in the ruck and should give us a boost in the centre.
“He was out a lot of last season due to injury but he has been training well and we’re looking forward to seeing what he can deliver.
“Mitch Collins and Cain Timmons are two other guys who are coming back into the side after playing away and they will give us a boost in the midfield.”
The Bombers have furthered bolstered their ranks with the inclusion on Logan Touhy who made the move from Kerang.
A versatile midfielder, he will be looking to provide options around the half-back and half-forward regions.
Hollingworth was also excited about two young prospects who are cutting their teeth in the Pioneers squad.
Archer Lancaster and Lange Waddington played both 17.5 and senior football last year and will be a valuable addition to the senior side this year.
“We struggled a bit towards the end of games last year, we tended to fall away in the last quarter a bit,” Hollingworth said.
“Obviously, Ultima and Hay are the benchmark sides of the league and for us to take that next step towards a grand final, we have had to work on fitness and endurance.
“We’ve interspersed our training routine with running drills to compliment our regular training structure to improve fitness and our ability to run out games.”
Hollingworth feels another of the club’s assets is the tight-knit team with a commitment to one goal.
“A lot of our guys are local, they live out here and the guys who are training away have a training structure they’re accountable to,” he said.
“Even if they’re travelling for games they’re using apps and other methods to track their training and to keep in step with the broader team.”
With Justin Robinson at the coaching helm and 200 games under his belt, the side comes with a maturity and experience coupled with developing youth eager to make their mark.
FOOTY FAST FACTS
JOINED LEAGUE: 1945.
GROUND: Wandella Recreation Reserve.
PREMIERSHIPS: 14 (1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1977, 1979, 1985, 1986, 1993, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2017.)
PRESIDENT: Leigh Hollingworth
SENIOR COACHES: Justin Robinson
2024 LADDER POSITION: Third.
INS AND OUTS
IN: Darcy Ramage, Connor Carter, Connor Jamieson
OUTS: Darren Rushton, Phoenix Maxwell, Kade Spencer
